Kokova Magazine

Sixty-four recipes. Fifty-six bakeries. Seven delicious categories. Only one crown...

British Baker magazine has announced the names of the bakeries competing to be crowned National Cupcake Champion 2012.

This year's competition for professional bakers - home based, retail and manufacturers - attracted double the number of entries compared with previous years.

In total 204 entries were received compared with 102 in 2011. That list has now been whittled down to 64 entries which will be judged against a number of criteria, including, taste and appearance, at the Cupcake Championship finals at the ICA in London on July 2nd.

Each of the seven different category winners stands a chance of being crowned overall champion on the day.

The annual cupcake championships pitches High Street multiples such as Greggs against celebrated local bakeries like Coughlans, family run tearooms and cafes and smaller, home based businesses which trade on special orders and at street food events and markets.

Competition for this year's title will be incredibly fierce. The range of flavour combinations is sensational. The final line-up reflects the ability of British bakers large and small to refine, reinvent and adapt this popular classic. And for those who reckon the cupcake has had its day, we can once again confidently say, think again.

Georgi Gyton, British Baker associate editor

Judges for the grand finals on July 2nd include Royal Wedding cake-maker Fiona Cairns, Great British Bake Off winner Edd Kimber, Konditor & Cook founder Gerhard Jenne and Ms Cupcake, winner of the 2011 Rising Star Award at the Baking Industry Awards.

National Cupcake Championships - the 2012 finalists

Best cupcake handcrafted for multiple outlets - Gregg's plc; Butterdrop, Sevenoaks, Kent; Coughlans, London and Surrey; Adele’s Cakes, Omagh; Rich Products, Fareham; and Cake Heaven, Bournemouth.

Best cupcake made with alcohol - My Cake Rox, Crawley, Sussex; Sooty’s Cupcakery, York; Bibi's Bakery, St Andrews, Scotland; Icing Bliss, London; Bath Cake Company, Bath; Upsy Daisy Bakery, West London; The Bake Shop UK, Oxford; Swirls and Pearls Bakery, London; CC Treats by Cocktail Couture, London; and Chatter Cakes, Eastbourne, Sussex.

Best classic cupcake - Victoria Made, Sheffield; Bibi's Bakery, St Andrews, Scotland; Rebecca’s Cupcakes, Guildford; Swirls and Pearls Bakery, London; Naginski Cupcakes, Middlesbrough; Cupcakes to Go, New Malden, Surrey; Sooty’s Cupcakery, York; Buttercup Cake Shop, London; Heaven's Bakery, Derby; and Cameo Cupcakes; Derby.

Free from cupcake of the year - Fantasweets Cupcakes, Carlisle; Cakeadoodledoo, Crediton, Devon; Mrs B's Cakes, Chippenham, Wilts; Tea Loves Cake, Greenock, Scotland; Hearthrug Cupcakes, Yardley Gobion, Northants; Organic Delights Ltd, London; Darcy’s Delicious Treats, Witham, Essex; and Rachel's Cupcakes, Wootton Wawen, Warks.

Micro-modelled cupcake of the year - Bollymix, Harrow, London; Iced Gems of Swanage, Dorset; Classy Cupcakes & Posh Patisserie, Nottingham; Naginski Cupcakes, Middlesbrough; Vanilla Jo, Surbiton, Surrey; Cupcake-a-licious, Ewell, Surrey; Bread and Better, Southend-on-Sea; Ria's Cakes, Waterlooville, Hampshire; The Boutique Cupcake Company, Radlett, Herts; Organic Delights Ltd, London.

Savoury cupcake of the year - Classy Cupcakes & Posh Patisserie, Nottingham; The Cupcake Bakery, Portishead, Somerset; Fantasweets Cupcakes, Carlisle; Bread and Better, Southend-on-Sea; Funky Food, Southport, Merseyside; Cameo Cupcakes, Derby; Cakeadoodledo, Crediton, Devon; and the Yew Tree Café, Wootton Wawen, Warks.

Themed cupcake of the year - The Boutique Cupcake Company, Radlett, Herts; Icing Bliss, London; By Charmaine, Tewkesbury; Lady Jayne's Cakes, Burton-on-Trent; Delicakes, West Malling, Kent; Crumbs Cupcakery, Skelmanthorpe, West Yorks; Shereen's Cakes and Bakes, Stevenage; Mary's Fairies, Portsmouth; Hearthrug Cupcakes, Yardley Gobion, Northants; Burlesque Bakery, Oxfordshire.

National Cupcake Week itself takes place from September 17th -23rd and features a wide range of activities and events up and down the UK including bakery masterclasses, cupcake decorating sessions, charity cupcake sales and in-store activities.

The sponsors of National Cupcake Week 2012 are the Welsh based baking case manufacturer Chevler, the cocoa and chocolate products manufacturer Barry-Callebaut, California Raisins, the ingredients suppliers Puratos and Secret Ingredients, Orchard Valley Foods.
www.nationalcupcakeweek.co.uk